
Ben Cartwright is the patriarch of an all-male Nevada ranching family. Set during and after the Civil War, "Bonanza" is the story of life on the family's thousand-acre spread, known as the Ponderosa, near Virginia City. Ben has his three sons, each with a different (and deceased) mother. Serious eldest son Adam hopes to follow in his father's footsteps; middle son Hoss is a gentle giant -- physically strong, but sometimes naive; and youngest son Little Joe is the most impetuous and romantic of the offspring.

Adam and Little Joe warn Hoss when he tries to help Arnie, a man with the mind of a child and an uncontrollable temper.

The Cartwrights' neighbor (Franchot Tone), a former soldier and lawman, seeks security for his daughter.

A member of a powerful gang murders a shopkeeper; the deputized Cartwrights sentence a murderer to hang at dawn when the leader of the gang kidnaps Ben and holds him hostage.

Bigoted Ike Daggett takes action when Ben gives an Indian and his wife land after the Indian saves his life.